Moment of passion or are they faking it

An alternative view of the scene was posted originally on Facebook and widely circulated on twitter and other media. Photo / Facebook

They have become the most sought-after couple on the internet - but is their steamy kiss a remarkable photo or a well-staged fake?

The pair were photographed in a sensual kiss, lying on the street during the post-Stanley Cup riot in Vancouver.

As Vancouver Canucks hockey fans took to the streets after the team lost to the Boston Bruins in the deciding game of the Stanley Cup, Getty photographer Rich Lam snapped the candid photo.

And it rapidly went viral on the internet with Canadian media organisations hunting for the pair.

However, a second photograph has emerged which shows the couple with a small crowd of people gathered around. One of them appears to have a video camera and is crouched close to the pair.

Photographer Mr Lam told MSNBC he didn't realise what was going on when the frame was shot.

People were being pushed by police out on the streets, when he spotted two people on the ground, he said.

"I looked back and thought someone was injured and I shot that. I framed it up, juxtaposed with the policemen."

He gave the images to the photo editors who were processing shots of the mayhem.

A while later, another photographer from the Getty team came up to Mr Lam and said "nice picture of the couple kissing".

"Oh my God - they're making out!" he said.

"It was just crazy for them to do something like that. I don't understand why people riot to begin with."

Canadian public broadcaster CBC has taken to Twitter to search for the couple in a bid to resolve the mystery.

Last night an Australian woman claimed her son and his Canadian girlfriend were the couple.

Megan Jones told Ninemsn she was shocked to spot her 29-year-old son Scott lying in the middle of the street. He was with Alex Thomas, who he had recently started dating.

"It is something he would do, that's our boy. He has always lived in his own world, he's special like that. He doesn't always connect with what's going on around him.

"I knew it was him because he doesn't have a lot of clothes with him and he always puts on the same thing."

Mr Jones has been performing a live stand-up show while travelling. "It certainly gives him more material for his routine," she said.

His friends wrote on his Facebook page and he replied: "Classic! This was shortly after the riot police run (sic) over the top of us and naturally Alex needed some comforting."